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The Relationship between Internet Addiction, Internet Gaming and Anxiety among Medical Students in a Malaysian Public University during COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • Nurazah Ismail

    (Psychiatry Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
    Malaysian Society of Internet Addiction Prevention, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

  • Ahmad Izzat Tajjudin

    (Psychiatry Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia)

  • Hafiz Jaafar

    (Public Health Unit, Department of Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia)

  • Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar

    (Malaysian Society of Internet Addiction Prevention, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Malaysia
    Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia)

  • Azlin Baharudin

    (Malaysian Society of Internet Addiction Prevention, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Malaysia
    Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia)

  • Normala Ibrahim

    (Malaysian Society of Internet Addiction Prevention, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Malaysia
    Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Malaysia)

Abstract

The internet has become an important medium for learning and communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for university students. Nevertheless, an increase in internet usage could predispose people to internet addiction (IA) and internet gaming (IG). Equally, there is concern that anxiety levels have increased during the pandemic. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of IA and IG, and their associations with anxiety among medical students during the pandemic. Data were collected during the second wave of the “Conditional Movement Control Order” (CMCO) in Malaysia between 12 November and 10 December 2020. A total of 237 students participated through proportionate stratified random sampling in this cross-sectional study. They completed a set of online questionnaires which consisted of a sociodemographic profile, the Malay version of the internet addiction test (MVIAT), the Malay version of the internet gaming disorder-short form (IGDS9-SF) and the Malay version of the depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21). The prevalence of IA and internet gaming disorder (IGD) were 83.5% and 2.5%, respectively. A multiple logistic regression showed that those in pre-clinical years had a greater risk of anxiety than those in clinical years [(AOR) = 2.49, p -value 0.01, 95% CI = 1.22–5.07]. In contrast, those who scored high on IA were protected against anxiety [AOR = 0.100, p -value 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01–0.76)]. In conclusion, IA was highly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and its high usage might serve as a protective factor against anxiety among the medical students in this study sample.

Suggested Citation

  • Nurazah Ismail & Ahmad Izzat Tajjudin & Hafiz Jaafar & Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar & Azlin Baharudin & Normala Ibrahim, 2021. "The Relationship between Internet Addiction, Internet Gaming and Anxiety among Medical Students in a Malaysian Public University during COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:11870-:d:677589
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    References listed on IDEAS

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